Google Fiber is already active in Kansas City, and the first users in Austin are getting connected this month. Provo is also being wired. Today, Google announced the next four cities to get the network: Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, and Raleigh-Durham﻿. On deck, the next list of potential rollouts includes Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, and San Jose.

Google Fiber potentially offers gigabit Ethernet speeds to homes and businesses. How does Google pick where it will deploy Google Fiber? According to one article, Google wants cities where it can "build quickly and efficiently." Speaking of Kansas City, Google's Milo Medin said, "The utility here has all kinds of conduit in it that avoids us having to tear the streets open." Medin also cited Google’s desire to have an impact on economic development, which seems to be playing out in Austin, where Google is taking affirmative action to bridge the digital divide.﻿

I think I heard Verizon is no longer expanding FIOS. They will finish with areas they have already planned but they apparently find wireless to be far more lucrative. It would be crrraaazy to think anyone would invest in upgrading our nations infrastructure just because we need it.

The biggest achievement here (for the consumer), is that it's forcing the competition to step up their game as well. Also, this is doing good things for the smaller ISPs, as they're (comparatively) flexible and thus faster, and have the most to lose/gain. A la Grande Communications in Austin. Now if they would only push that north by 90 miles...